Stock-fitting machine



Aug. 26, K9240 A. E. JOHNSON STOCK FITTING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. E. JOHNSON STUCK FITTING MACHINE Filed Amil l4 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES ears OFFICE.

ALBERT E. JOHNSON, 025 BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNO R TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STOCK-FITTING MACHINE.

Application filed April 14, 1919.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. J QHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stock-Fitting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper tains to make and use the same.

lhis invention relates to stock fitting machines and is illustrated as embodied in channel-ing machines for making soles for turn shoes.

In my copending application, Ser. No. 289,879, filed of even date herewith, a channeling machine is disclosed having a channel knife positioning mechanism which is capable of being actuated to withdraw the channel: knife from the work by means of a foot treadle andwhich, upon the release of the foot treadle, is actuated by means of a spring tomove the channel knife into operative position, said movements taking place in the direction of the depth of the channel.

One object of the present invention is to improve the earlier construction by theprovision of automatic means, capable of being set by the operator during the operation of themachine, for positively moving a device such as a channel knife by the power of the machine, both into and out of operative position.

In another aspect my invention may be regarded as directed to the improvement of machines of this type by synchronizing, with the usual intermittently-effective feed ing means, the shifting of the channel knife or equivalent device between operative and inoperative positions. As applied to clianneling machines, the shifting occurs during the pauses of the intermittent feed.

cutting of the channel, clear out to both ends, occurs with the knife inserted to the tion is broadly new in channeling machines of this type.

This has the important effect of insuring that the Serial No. 289,880.

W hether the power-shift or the synchronism of operation be considered, it is important to note that the improvements hereinafter claimed are of especial importance in a channeling machine in which the knife is inserted and withdrawn without cutting the channel fiap.

To the accomplishment of this object and such others as may hereinafter appear, as vill be readily understood by those skilled in the art, the invention comprises the features and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is adetail sectional View of an adjusting device for the work supporting table of the machine; F ig. 8 is a left end elevation of the machine; Fig. 4: is a sectional view taken on the line 4tt of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail showing the controlling levers position just prior to lifting the channel knife block; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the controlling lever and associated parts.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the machine is provided with a work sup porting table 10 which is vertically movable to permit insertion and removal of the work between the table and a channel knife 14; and a shoulder knife 16. Said knives 14 and 16 are mounted on a vertically movable knife carrier 18, which is urged downwardly by a coiled expansion spring 20 and is adapted to be raised through movement of a lever arm The lever arm 22is fulcrumed at 24 on the frame of the machine, its lower end being provided with a segment 26 which meshes with a rack 28 on the rear side of the knife carrier, and it is actuated through a depending rod 30 connecting its outer endwith a foot tread'le (not shown) at the base of the machine. The work is fed across the table 10 by means of a four-motion feed foot 32 from the main shaft 38 of the machine. Theseparts of the machine may have the same general construction and mode of operation as the corresponding parts of the machine disclosed in my Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,349,723, dated August 17, 1920, to which reference may be had for a more detailed description.

The mounting of the channel knife 14 on the knife carrier of the illustrated machine may be and preferably is the same as disclosed in said copending application filed of even date herewith. For the purposes of the present invention it is suflicient to state that the channel knife is secured to a knife block which is pivoted at 34 upon a vertical plate 86 projecting from the lower end of the knife carrier 18 and is movable about its pivot into and out of operative engagement with the work through a link 42. The lower end of the link 42 is provided with a pivot pin 44 which extends through a vertical slot in a lug 41 on the upper end of the knife block. The channel knife is locked in operative engagement with the work by a spring pressed locking pin 48 which is relever 62. The horizontal arm of the bell leased from locking engagement with the block at the start of the upward movement of the link 42 in order to permit the further upward movement of said link to swing the knife block upwardly about its pivot 34 and withdraw the channel knife. The release of the locking pin is effected by the upward movement of the cam slide 46, which depends from the pin 44.

In the illustrated machine in order to insure that the channel knife shall be positively inserted into the work with sufficient force to position it properly to start the channel cut, mechanism is provided whereby the operator may operatively connect the channel knife to be actuated into and out of operative position by the main shaft 38 of the machine. To this end the link 42 (Fig. 1) through which the channel knife block is moved, is actuated by a lever 50 pivoted at 52 on the knife carrier, and having one arm pivotally connected to the upper end of the link 42. The other arm of the lever 50 is provided with a toothed segment 54 which meshes with another toothed segment on one'end ,of a lever 56 pivoted on the frame of the machine. The other end of the lever 56 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a depending rod 58. The lower end of the rod 58 extends through an eye 60 (Fig. 4) in one end of a controlling lever 62 centrally pivoted on a horizontal rod 63 in the lower part of the frame. The connection of the rod to the lever is through a coiled spring 64 mounted to press the eye 60 toward a collar 66 on the lower end of the rod. (See Figs. 1 and 4.) A bell-crank lever 68 is pivoted within a. fork on the outer end ofthe lever 62, its retracted arm' being urged inward by a coiled spring 72 against a stop shoulder'TO formed on the crank lever 68 is connected, as by a chain 69, to the usual foot treadle at the base of the machine which actuates the treadle rod 80. The vertical arm of the bell-crank lever 68 is provided with a latch shoulder 74 which is adapted to be engaged, as shown in Fig. 4, by a hook 76 formed on a slide 78. The slide 7 8 is formed with 'an eccentric strap at its upper end and is reciprocated by an eccentric 80 carried by the main shaft 88. It is constrained to move in a definite path by a block 82 which engages a slot in the arm. The block 82 is pivotally mounted on a rod 83 extending above and parallel to the rod 63.

The downward stroke of the slide 7 8 is employed to effect a withdrawal of the channel knife from the work. With the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 4, the'cperator, by means of the foot treadle at the base of the machine, swings the bell crank lever 68 in a direction away from the stop shoulder 70 and against the tension of the spring 7 2. The movement of the bell-crank lever carries it against the side of a shoulder 88 on the slide 78 which shoulder is in a lower plane, even when the slide is at the top of its upward stroke then the head of the bell-crank. Consequently the reciprocation of the slide cannot effect a movement of the lever 62 until the bell-crank is positioned beneath the shoulder 88' It is also apparent that an actuation of the lever 62 to Withdraw the channel knife should be delayed until the locking pin 48 is released.

Further pressure on the treadle will swing the forkedend of the lever 62 downward, drawing the bell-crank below the level of the shoulder 88 and snapping it into position beneath said shoulder and against a '1 tail piece or stop 86. This movement of the lever 62 is transmitted, through the connections heretofore described, to the link 42 and is sufiicient to draw the pin 44 tothe' upper end of its slot, carrying with it the :2:

cam plate 46, thus releasing the locking pin 48. This movemen'tis illustrated by Fig. 5. Tue turn buckle 59 (Fig. 4) on the rod 58 is employed to give just the length to this rod necessary to lmpart the movement to the link 42 required to unlock the-knife block from the carrier. In the position of the bell-crank lever, on the next down stroke of the slide 7 8 the shoulder 88 acts to swing the lever 62 still further in the direction 1 of the arrow shown iii-Fig. 4. Such additional movement of the lever 62 lifts the knife block and withdraws the channel knife from the work. The spring 64 mounted on the rod 58 is of such strength that the mechanism for withdrawing the'cha-nnel knife is, in effect, positive in its action, and this spring is mainly provided toprevent in-. jury to parts of the machine in case the locking means for the knife block should become deranged and thereby not release readily.

The treadle rod 30 through which the knife carrier 18 is retracted is provided with a slot 90 at its upper end to provide a sufficient amount of lost motion between the rod and carrier to insure that the carrier is not raised until after the knife block has been unlocked. After the knife block is once unlocked, it is swung upwardly about its pivot by the power of the machine while simultaneously the knife carrier is being raised and the work table lowered by continued pressure on the treadle. To obtain this sequence of operations the chain 11. which connects the work table lowering mechanism (see lvieyer Patent No. 98 1,7752, Februar 21, 1911) to the treadle is provided with a loop the ends of which are connected by a light coiled spring 13 (Fig. 3), and the chain 69 is of such length as to be very slightly slack so as not to place a strain on the bell-crank lever 62. Thus the initial movement of the treadle merely tautens the chain 11 without lowering the work table.

When the operator releases the foot treadle, the knife carrier 18 is first moved toward the work by the spring 20, the work table rising at the same time, and then the channel knife. is positively moved into operative position in the work. Such positioning of the channel knife is accomplished through the bell-crank lever 68 which upon release of the foot treadle, is swung by the spring 72 to bring the latch shoulder 74- on its vertical arm into the path of movement of the hook 76 on the reciprocating slide 78. Upon the next upstroke of the slide 78 the hook 76 engages the shoulder 74 thereby causing the inner end of the lever (32 to press downward on the collar 66, and through the connecting mechanism positively swings the knife block into operative position where it is finally locked to the knife carrier by the locking pin 48. The channel knife is thus forced into the work by the machine. Ordinarily the lowering of the knife carrier 18 will have brought the channel knife into contact with the sole before the automatic action described take place. I

If the downward movement of the channel knife. should occur during an effective movement of the four-motion feedin device, the contact of the latter with the work might prevent the work table from initially reaching the limit of the upward movement thereof, and this would prevent the channel knife from starting the channel cut at the desired depth. Accordingly, the eccentric 80 is so timed relatively to the mechanism which actuates the fourmotion work feeding device 32 that the movements of the channel knife toward and from the work occur only during non-effective movements of the feeding device, i. 0., only while the feeding device is moving on its back stroke and, con sequently, is then raised from the work.

it is sometimes desired to raise the knife block, to permit inspection of parts covered by it, when the machine is not running. At such times the block is lifted wholly by movement of the foot treadle and in order to return to the position shown in Fig. 1, a spring 57 is connected between the lever 56 and the frame. This spring is put under tension by the upward movement of the rod 58 when the knife block is lifted and acts to move the rod downward when the treadle is released.

In the reissued patent to Prenzel No. 13,- 375, dated February 27, 1912, a turn channeling machine is disclosed having a work supporting table which is adjustable toward and from the knives of the machine, to accord with variations in thickness of the work, by a worm or screw threaded into a bore in the lower end of the spindle of the work supporting table. The worm is capable of being turned a part of a revolution to make the desired adjustment of the work table by means of a handle secured to the lower end thereof. In the illustrated machine the work table is capable of being adjusted toward and from the knives through the combined action of the threads of a double worm or screw such that the amount of movement of the table, responsive to the amount of angular movement of the operating handle heretofore required, is greatly increased. The work table in this machine is, as usual, provided with a spindle 96 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is rotatably mounted in a sleeve 98, vertically movable in a bore in the frame of the machine but is prevented from rotating by a guide pin 100 secured to the frame and engaged by an aperture in a horizontal lug 102 projecting from the upper end of the sleeve. A worm or screw in the form of a collar 1.0% is internally and externally threaded in reversed directions and is screwed on the lower end of the sleeve 98 and into a bore 103 in the usual ring 105 which is in fixed relation to the collar 104 and thus forms a rigid part of the frame with respect to the work table. The collar 10 i is adapted to be turned within the ring 105, and thus vertically adjust the work table, by means of a thumb piece 106 in the form of a pointer. This pointer cooperates with a scale 108 (Fig. 3) in irons on the frame of the machine whereby the operator is enabled to predetermine the amount of adjustment of the work table required for the thickness of the work to be operated on. The double thread arrangement augments the table movement to such an extent that the entire range of adjustment required may be obtained by an angular movement of the thumb piece through about ninety degrees, making the adjustment easy and speedy.

The novel Work support described above is not claimed herein, but is claimed in my divisional application Serial No. 430,091, filed Dec. 11, 1920.

The Work table 10 (Fig. 1), instead of having a step by step rotary movement as is usual, is mounted for free rotation upon a ball bearing 110 such that it may easily rotate and travel With the Work feeding device during the effective movements thereof, thus providing for an even forward movement of the Work. Such mounting of the Work table, however, forms no part of the present invention.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of the parts shown and described, since this construction and arrangement is the simplest and most efficient embodiment of the invention which has yet been devised, it Will be understood that this construction and arrange ment is not essential except so far as it is specified in the claims, and may be varied or modified Without. departing from the broader features of the invention. over, the invention is not to be regarded as limited to channeling machines, as in its broader aspects it is adapted for embodiment in machines of other types.

hat is claimed as new, is

1. A stock fitting machine having, in combination, intermittently acting means for feeding an unattached sole blank, a knife for operating on the margin of the blank, and means operating synchronously With said feeding means for moving the knife into position for operating on the blank.

2. A stock fitting machine having, in combination, means for feeding an unattached sole blank, a knife for operating on the margin of the blank, and operatoncontrolled means operated by the machine for moving the knife into and out of operative position.

3. A stock fitting machine having, in combination, means for supporting and feeding an unattached sole blank, a lip knife, and means operated by the machine, capable of being adjusted. during the operation of the ".iachine, for moving the knife into and out of operative position in the direction of the depth of the channel cut formed or to be formed thereby.

4. A stock fitting machine having, in combination, intermittently acting means for feeding an unattached sole blank, a knife for operating on the margin. of the blank, a re ciprocating member moving synchronously With said feeding means, and normally-idle means for operatively connecting the knife to said reciprocating member to effect the positioning of the knife relatively to the sole blank.

More- 5. A stock fitting machine having, in combination, intermittently acting means for feeding an unattached sole blank, a knife for operating upon the margin of the blank. normally-idle means for positioning the knife relatively to the blank, and means for insuring that said positioning movement takes place during intervals of rest in the feeding movement of the blank.

6. A stock fitting machine having, in combination, intermittently acting means for feeding a sole blank, a knife for operating on the margin of the blank, a reciprocating member moving synchronously With said feeding means, and means under control of the operator for operatively connecting the knife to said reciprocating member to move the knife into or out of operative position.

7. A stock fitting machine having, in combination, means for feeding a sole blank, a knife for operating on the margin of the blank, and automatic means under control of the operator for positively moving the knife into operative position.

8. A stock fitting machine having, in combination, a four-motion feeding device for feeding sole blank, a knife for operating upon the margin of the blank, and means actuated synchronously With said four-motion feeding device for placing the knife in operating position during non-effective movements of said feeding device. V

9. A stock-fitting machine comprising, in combination, a channel-cutting knife, a Work support, and means operated by the poWer of the machine but under the control of the operator for relatively moving the knife and the support in a direction to cause the knife to be inserted in the Work in a manner which avoids cutting the material of the flap of a channel to be cut thereby.

10. A stock-fitting machine comprising, in

of the operator for relatively moving the knife and the support in a direction to cause the knife to be Withdrawn from a channel cut thereby in a manner Which avoids cut ting the channel flap. 7

11. A stock-fitting machine comprising, in combination, means including a knife for cutting a channel in'a piece of stock, a mounting for the knife to prevent movement thereof laterally of the channel as the channel is cut, and power-actuated means for supplying extra pressure to insert or Withdraw the knife. at the end of the channel.

12. A stock-fitting machine comprising, in combination, means including a knife and a rotary power-shaft for cutting a channel in a piece of stock, connections fro-m the shaft tothe knife to force the knife into the operative to force the knife into the stock and thereafter leave them idle.

18. A stock-fitting machine comprising, in combination, means including a knife and a rotary power-shaft for cutting a channel in a piece of stock, connections from the shaft to the knife to withdraw the knife from the stock at the end of the channel, and a manual control for leaving said connections idle during the cutting of the channel and then rendering them operative.

1a. A stockitting machine comprising, in combination, means including a knife and a rotary power-shaft for cutting a channel, a lock to prevent motion of the knife in the direction of depth of the channel, and connections from the shaft to force the knife into a piece of stock until fastened by the lock.

15. A stocktting machine comprising, in combination, means including a knife and a rotary power-shaft for cutting a channel in a piece of stock, a lock to prevent motion of the knife laterally of the channel, connections from the shaft for withdrawing the knife from the channel, and manually-controlled means for releasing the lock and rendering said connections efiective.

16. A stock-fitting machine comprising, in combination, cutting and feeding means and a rotary power shaft to operate them, a device to hold the cutting means in an inoperative position, and a connection from said shaft'effective during operation of the machine to move the cutting means to 0-perative position.

17. A stock-fitting machine con'iprising, in combination, intermittently-effective cutting and feeding means and a rotary power shaft to operate them, and a connection from said shaft which is normally idle and which is operable to withdraw the cutting means to an inoperative position.

18. In a machine of the class described, in combination, cutting and feeding means and a rotary power shaft to operate them, a device which is constantly actuated by the shaft, and a normally-idle connection arranged to be operated at intervals to be connected to said device to shift the cutting means.

19. A channeling machine comprising, in combination, a channel knife having a cutting edge on its side for forming a channel flap and a second cutting edge across its end to facilitate its insertion in a piece of stock, feeding means and a rotary power shaft to actuate said means, and connections from the shaft to force the knife longitudinally into the stock, said feeding means being constructed and arranged thereafter to cooperate with the knife in causing the cutting edge on the side thereof to form a channel.

20. A channeling machine comprising, in combination, means for forming a channel including a chamiel knife of the drag type and a rotary power shaft, and means oper ated by the power of said shaft for withdrawing the knife from the channel.

21. A channeling machine comprising, in combination, means for forming a channel including a channel knife of the drag type and a rotary power shaft, and means operated by the power of said shaft for inserting the knife longitudinally into the work.

22. A channeling machine comprising, in combination, a cutter and means for presenting work thereto for the cutting of a channel, a constantly-reciprocated device, and connections between said device and the cutter including a member arranged detachably to engage said device bodily to shift the cutter at one end of the channel.

23. A channeling machine comprising, in combination, a cutter to form a channel, means intermittently to feed work channeled thereby, means to shift the cutter between operative and inoperative positions at one end of the channeling operation, and means to synchronize the shifting and feeding means.

24. A channeling machine comprising, in combination, a cutter to form a channel, means intermittently to feed ork channeled thereby, treadlacontrolled means for inserting the cutter in the work at the beginning of the channel, and means to synchronize the insertion of the cutter and the feeding of the work.

25. A channeling machine comprising, in combination, a cutter to form a channel, means intermittently to feed ork channeled thereby, treadlecontrolled means for withdrawing the cutter from the work at the end of the channel, and means to synchronize the withdrawal of tne cutter and the feeding of the work.

26. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, means intermittently to feed a piece of work, a device to operate on work fed thereby and in constant engagement therewith, means to shift said device bodily from an operative to an in operative position, and means to synchronize the shifting and feeding means.

27. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, means intermittently to feed a piece of work, an operating device movable between operative and inoperative positions, normally-idle means to shift said device in either direction effective only during the pauses in the feeding of the work, and manually-controlled connections for rendering said shifting means effective.

28. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, intermittently-effective feeding and operating devices, a rota ry shaft to deliver power thereto, a normally-idle connection from the shaft for bodily shifting the operating device between operative and inoperative positions during the pauses in the feed, and a manually-controlled lever for rendering said shifting connection effective.

29. A machine as defined by claim 28, in which the connection is actuated positively by the shaft in either direction sufficiently to secure the desired shifting, and then automatically becomes idle.

30. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, an operating device mounted for movement between operative and inoperative positions, means to lock it in one of said positions, and power-operated means effective at any time in the operation of the machine to move said device until it is locked.

31. A machine of the classdescribed comprising, in combination, an operating device mounted for movement between operative and inoperative positions, means to lock it in one of said positions, and means positively operated by the power of the machine when the device is in locked position (1) to release the lock and (2) thereafter to shift the device to the other position.

32. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, feeding and operating devices and a rotary shaftvto deliver power thereto, a spring lock to hold said operating device in operative position with respect to the work, and a manually-controlled connection from the shaft to move said operating device toward the work until locked. v

'33. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, feeding and operating devices and a rotary shaft to deliver power thereto, a spring lock to hold said operating device in engagement with the work, a releasing cam engaging the lock,

and a connection from the shaft to move the cam to release the lock and thereafter to withdraw said operating device from the work. A

34. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, intermittently-effective feeding and operating devices, a rota y shaft to deliver power thereto, a lock to hold the operating device in engagement with the work, and a connection operating during the pauses in the feeding to move the operating device toward the work until locked.

35. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, intermittently-effective feeding and operating devices, a rotary shaft to deliver p'ower thereto, a lock to hold the operating device in engagement with the work, a releasing cam for the lock,

and a connection operating synchronously with the feeding device to (1) actuate the cam to release the lock and (2) thereafter to move the. operating device to an inoperative position.

36. A connection for synchronizing with the movements of other parts oh a machine the effective operation of a shifting device, sald connection comprising, in combination,

a member arranged to be constantly moved by a drive shaft, said member being formed 37. A stock-fitting machine comprising, in

combination, feeding and operating devices including a work-support, a shaft, a connection from the the operating device between inoperative positions, and a singletreadle arranged to render said connection effective and to raise and lower the work-support.

38. A stock-fitting machine comprising, in combination, intermittently-effective feeding and operating devices including a worksupport, a treadle to raise'and lower the work-support, and means controlled by the treadle to shift the operating device'between operative and inoperative positions in synchronism with the feeding.

39. A channeling machine comprising, in combination, a horizontal sole-supporting table, a channel knife and a carrier therefor, a power-rotated shaft and a normallyshaft to shift power-rotated idle connection therefrom for moving the the work support and for shifting the knifecarrier in synchronism with'the feeding of the sole. 1

41. A channeling machine comprising, in

combination, a knife cutting longitudinally" of a channel, means operable while the machine is runningto insert the knife in a sole to the full depth of a channel to be formed therein, and means thereafter effective relatively to move the sole and the knife to form a channel in the sole. 1 V

42. A channeling machine comprising, in combination, a knife cutting longitudinally of a channel, means relatively to move the knife and a sole to form a channel in the sole, and means to withdraw the knifeduring the operation ofthe machine without any cutting action on the sole during such withdrawal.

ALBERT E. JOHNSON. 

